The Celestial Wheel   An In-depth Forecast   November 19, 2008     The Celestial Wheel Home

#76

Economic Forecast

Mid November 2008 -- March, 2009

Shoulders To The Wheel

     The Celestial Wheel focuses upon current and upcoming issues -- economic, societal and political.  With the November 4, 2008 U.S. general election over, attention naturally turns to the declining economy. 

     As Vedic Astrology is a spiritual discipline, The Celestial Wheel aims to apply those values -- seeking to find the light at the end of the tunnel.  It should thereby be stated that the ending of this Second Gilded Age on November 30 will be followed by an economic contraction and then the Second Progressive Age.  This three-stage process will result in reclaiming shared economic values, which is akin to raising consciousness -- shifting away from selfishness toward selflessness.  (For background information on this sequence, see the December 1, 2007 In-depth, Through The Second Gilded Age).

     Forecasting now is critical, for the U.S. is at a pivot point that will tip to either a short purifying economic trimming or a long economic retraction causing widespread suffering.  Too, this is a global problem, for where the U.S. economy goes, the community of nations follows.  With the Republican Party's divisive Second Gilded Age tactics of fear and hatred (fostering favoritism and exclusion) rejected by the voters, Obama and fellow Democrats in Congress can bring us together to overcome economic imbalances, reviving the shared democratic values that will form the foundation for the Second Progressive Age.  Restoring unity is an obvious fundamental. 

     Success in avoiding a real depression depends on more than just voting this past November 4.  We all have to put out shoulders to the wheel to help push the cart out of the ditch, where G.W. Bush et al have dumped it.  It truly isn't just government, or someone else's responsibility, to fix the problem.  A unified society means we are all included, as contrasted with Second Gilded Age exclusion.  Everyone has something to contribute, and even small efforts/amounts help and are useful.  Donating to some change to the Salvation Army is something we all can do.  And here's a really obvious one -- for everyone who needs a new car, buy a U.S. made car.  That would reverse the awful drop in domestic auto sales, saving the auto companies from their cash shortfalls -- and the many millions who depend upon them. Yes, imports are often better values, but only through selflessness can we undue the damage selfishness has caused.  Consider, if your neighbor's clothing store was going under, wouldn't you buy at least a shirt or two from him?  Too, for all the complainers out there blaming others, Remember the old saying, Put your money where your mouth is?

     The U.S. chart includes tremendous wealth punctuated by economic calamity, and the chart's powerfully bonded relationships support democracy and success -- giving the capability to unite and quickly recover from loss.  The capability is there.  All that is required is the will to act.  So, join together to save ourselves, putting our shoulders to the wheel.  

The Presidential Election -- High Road/Low Road

     The October 22, In-depth Celestial Wheel, Finale -- The Presidential Race, explained the U.S. chart's Dasas (planetary cycles) of a gluttonous, fearful and corrupt Moon* were modified by the Sun's* ethical orientation and a sense for law, harmony and fairness.  This resulted in voters choosing between low road lunar anger, fear and selfishness -- opposed by high road solar fairness, harmony and ethics. 

     By voting against the Moon's Second Gilded Age unfairnesses-- choosing the solar high road -- the U.S. will have in Obama an ethical, honest and high-minded President to reverse course and steer the ship of state off the rocks into safe waters.  His chart is potent for bringing the unity and cooperation the U.S. desperately needs.  This election is auspicious, for it is a nearly exactly match to end of this ten year Moon Dasa, which lasts until November 30 of this year.

     Still, Bush remains President for over two months, and he can do a lot more damage, from action or inaction.  Bush has certainly bungled the confidence collapse.  Although economic turbulence has subsided, every day brings more tides of woe, and these are flooding beyond the financial sector to autos and consumer goods, like Circuit City and other electronics stores -- and most recently to high tech, Tech Companies, Long Insulated, Now Feel Slump.  Too, the public sector is reeling from tax revenue drops, Cash-Strapped Big Cities Seek TARP Funds to Stimulate Local Economies.

     Consider the predicted that the confidence collapse, which began in mid September, was less than two months ago.  With Bush impotent, the economic state of the nation when Obama takes office January 21, 2009 is likely to be much worse.

     One bright note is that Obama continues his great Jupiter/Moon Dasa cycle.  This combination was described in the Finale -- The Presidential Race,  

     Jupiter/Moon continues for Obama until March 24, 2009, and as Dasas are the underlying karma, analogous to the river of life, he will have two months of swift and safe waters carrying his administration ahead.  As the beginning of any voyage is critical to its success, this is naturally auspicious.  However, tough transits, weather events on the river of life, will bring some jolts and batter the new ship of state.  These will be discussed below.

(*For those familiar with Vedic Astrology, those qualities oppose these planets' essential natures -- the the Moon being cool, receptive, perceptional, nuanced and caring and the Sun being hot, aggressive and ego-centered.  It is due to the dispositions of these planets in the U.S. chart -- rulership and placement -- they act contrary to their natures.)

Transits

     Transits are the passages of the planets in today's skies.  They give a sort of global weather report, which can also be overlaid on charts of leaders and nations to unveil specific impacts.

     The Celestial Wheel uses Timelines to graphically illustrate transits signaling major events and changes in circumstances.  At the bottom of this forecast is the Summer-Fall 2008 Timeline, which tracked the economic woes that are culminating in a recession.

     This new timeline, Fall-Winter 2008-2009, graphs the challenging upcoming Sun/Mars/Mercury conjunction, the Rahu/Mars/Jupiter/Mercury conjunction and the winter eclipses: the January 26 solar eclipse 12 1/2 degrees Capricorn and the February 9 lunar eclipse 27 degrees Cancer.  At this time, these appear to be the key impactive transits, but others will be added as they are perceived.

Fall-Winter 2008 - 09Timeline

     Following is a generalized predictive overview for these global weather events.  (Later Celestial Wheels will analyze these transits further.)

     The Sun/Mars/Mercury conjunction begins tomorrow, November 20.  This is a fiery combination, symbolizing explosions, fires, fighting and other discords.  Notable is that Mercury's intellect is blinded, making conflict resolution difficult.  Certainly communications and business activities of all kinds will be harmed.

     The Rahu/Mars/Jupiter/Mercury conjunction in Capricorn will be very difficult.  Jupiter, the planet of wealth, will be very weak in its fallen sign of Capricorn and doubly afflicted by a powerful Mars and nasty Rahu -- the head-of-the dragon eclipse point.  Business and communications Mercury will be in the midst of this turmoil.  Mercury's retrograde, starting January 12, will keep it in the karmic grinder through the entire 7 week interval.  The January 26 solar eclipse in Capricorn and the February 9 lunar eclipse in Cancer will act as blocking agents.  While it's difficult to assess this complex karmic storm, economic woe is certain, and the publication of 2008 year-end corporate reports during this interval will add more negatives.  One specific prediction can be made now -- another oil/gas price peak.  This will caused, not by demand exceeding supply as has been occurring, but rather from a supply contraction.  The supply problem could result from OPEC reducing pumping and/or one or more unstable oil producers going into crisis -- like Nigeria, Venezuela, Mexico or a Mideast oil producer.  Too, Russia needs oil to be priced at $70 per barrel or higher to fund its government.

U.S. & Bush's Charts

As mentioned above, the U.S. changes planetary cycles on November 30 -- from it's 10 year Moon cycle symbolizing the Second Gilded Age, to its 7 year Mars cycle.  This Mars cycle signals economic contraction, for this destructive malefic rules the fifth house of investments and the twelfth house of loss.       The beginning of any Dasa (planetary cycle) influences how it will proceed, and the Dasa planet transit position is the measure here.  On November 30, transit Mars will be in the twelfth house of loss conjoining the Sun and Mercury -- the above described destructive Sun/Mars/Mercury conjunction.  Specifically for the U.S. chart, losses will be in Mars' significations for property, investments and relationships.       This last effect results because birth chart Mars is placed in the seventh house of relationships. Relationship breaks could be in any number of areas -- political, business, social, even religious.

United States July 4, 1776 6:17 PM Philadelphia, PA

     Certainly too the January -- March conjunction of Rahu/Mars/Jupiter/Mercury and the eclipses -- all in Capricorn -- must injure further. Capricorn is the second house of income, and as all the planets aspect the eighth house of turmoil. there's a dual harm here.  Consider too the added problem of a gas/oil price spike.

     The U.S. chart also continues to be wracked by effects from the destabilizing August 1 solar eclipse that has already thrown U.S. into a downward spiral  (See the below Summer-Fall Timeline.)  Eclipse sensitivity makes this chart more vulnerable to harms -- from the immanent Sun/Mars/Mercury conjunction, the winter Rahu/Mars/Jupiter/Mercury conjunction and accompanying eclipses.

     These influences describe a difficult journey for the U.S. through March of 2009.  As explained above, Obama will continue to run his excellent Jupiter/Moon Dasa planets until March 24 -- so he'll have a good start January 20.  However, his success will naturally be impacted by the condition of the country at inauguration, and planetary karmas for the following two months.  Yet, these winter transit harms must rock his boat.  (Note: Obama changes to a difficult Jupiter/Mars Dasa lineup March 24, but that will be analyzed in a later forecast.)

The Celestial Wheel has long been concerned about G.W. Bush's impact on the U.S.  Certainly the last year has demonstrated the failure of all his policies, both at home and abroad.      Bush has been running his difficult Mercury Dasa since May, 2006.  The Celestial Wheel has repeatedly predicted he would suffer a nervous breakdown.  This results because Mercury rules the third house of desires and the twelfth house of loss and is conjunct a destructive Saturn -- that tightens its grip like a boa constrictor.  The August 1 solar eclipse also hit Bush's chart hard -- both his Mercury and Ascendant -- self.  (See the The Challenging Summer Of 2008.)  As eclipses block, this has been a contributing cause to Bush's lack of influence.  It certainly has made hin largely invisible, as well as weakening his mind further.      While Bush may not have (or may have secretly) experienced the predicted nervous breakdown, it's certainly true that, Bush failed to respond effectively to stop, or even contain losses and Bush is powerless to intercede.

G. W. Bush July 4, 1946 7:26 AM New Haven, CT

     As of October 10, Bush's Dasas became Mercury/Ketu, and this tail-of-the-dragon eclipse point adds stress to Bush's mental Mercury through the end of his term. Dissolving Ketu in transit is approaching Bush's birthchart Mercury right now, and the Sun/Mars/Mercury transit combination is in his fifth house of creative intelligence -- further harming the mind, already sensitive from birthchart Ketu being placed there. 

     Watching agency leaders like Treasury Secretary Paulson and FDIC head Bair, one is struck by their sincere concern and lack of leadership from Bush.  It's like Paulson is trimming the foresail and Bair the mainsail, but since Bush isn't steering, the ship just lurches around in storm-tossed seas near the rocky shore.

     The January 2, 2003 In-depth Celestial Wheel, Face-off Bush-Hussein, seems almost quaintly historical compared with the present, but this Preface is sobering,

     Taking all these planetary karmas together, it may be that this situation will be like Obama taking over the wheel of the Titanic. 

     However, there are glimmers of hope.  Ours need not be a fated voyage, for there is free will.  Obama is already beginning to lead, especially in motivating Congress.  We can follow that optimism, putting our shoulders to the wheel.

     So, give some thought to choosing a Chevy for your next auto purchase.  After all, the Muppets on Sesame Street did all those skits on cooperation.

Summer-Fall 2008 Timeline

     Although the economic dysfunction began in the summer of 2007 with that season's financial freeze up, it has been the events this summer and fall that have precipitated the steep declines bringing a recession.

     In summary, Mars/Ketu brought the oil price spike and grains prices inflation, Mars/Saturn exacerbated these problems and further harmed real estate -- for a combination of harms to the three basics of food, fuel and shelter.  The August 1 solar eclipse slammed the U.S. chart, destabilizing it for at least the several several months.  This signaled the destructive hurricanes and the later confidence collapse.  The Gauntlet described a repeat of the August 2007 transits of Venus, the Sun and Mercury, causing another credit freeze-up, which culminated in the mid September confidence collapse.  

     For comprehensive information on these planetary karmas, take a look at the August 18, 2008 In-depth, The Challenging Summer Of 2008.  That forecast used this Summer-Fall Timeline to illustrate earlier predictions and actual results for Mars/Ketu, Mars/Saturn and the solar eclipse.  The Gauntlet is described, including the resulting confidence collapse, in the October 11 Celestial Wheel Commentary.